Navigation Hurts
by romantiscue
Summary: After the mission, Kakashi finds his wayward blond student by the sea. Subtext and hints. Currently a one-shot. Written in snapshot-of-a-life style.


**Navigation Hurts**

–

Sometimes Kakashi gets the distinct impression that the universe is conspiring against him. This realization isn't a recent one, but it is only since his official elevation (_demotion_) to jounin-sensei came about that he's been actively contemplating the idea in more than just a corner of his brain.

Feeling vaguely unamused and very weary, Kakashi ambles leisurely towards the coastline. A droopy eye casually scans the surroundings before moving towards the focus of the view. The blonde's hair looks like a smaller explosion sitting on top a a surprisingly sturdy branch, and some part of Kakashi recognizes that the strange analogy identifies his most troublesome student rather well.

"Naruto," he greets vaguely, eye turned away. Spanning the waters, which are quiet and still and everything the blond is usually not. Usually. "I think Sakura is on her way to the war path, with the way you went missing." An unassuming statement and a question, _Why are you here, alone?_

Naruto usually stays close to him and Sakura after a mission, ocean eyes watching and probing like he wasn't sure if things were as they seemed. Kakashi knows reactions like that, knows what it means to doubt your eyes when a mission has the world spinning rapidly towards an ugly end. There is something entirely too sad about a bright explosion getting lost in it, and that spark of emotion makes Kakashi wonder if he might not be as good a cell leader as he should be. As he used to be (_did he?_).

"She does that," Naruto answers, voice amused. Maybe a little rueful. Kakashi watches the ocean and says nothing, though his feet carries him closer. It's not even a conscious decision (which should worry him, _should_ being the keyword, because Kakashi is getting used to _shoulds_ spluttering and fading around a blond who defies all expectations. He's not worried though, which in itself should worry him. _Should_.)

He doesn't look at the teen; lets the thought fade. _A fortification of defenses_, Kakashi notes and acknowledges. He smooths the pad of his fingers over the leaf symbol carved into his hitai-ate, thinks that the tilt of the headband, the way it sits askew across his forehead and face, is fittingly symbolic. _No plan survives initial contact with the enemy- or unexpected explosions._

He takes a step closer, feel the warmth that always seems to radiate from the blond fan over his legs. _But neither do they spontaneously combust. They tilt sideways._ It is a form of necessary adaption, one that Kakashi has perfected over the years to the point where very little truly surprised him. (Explosions usually didn't.)

"Aa," he agrees, ponders crouching down to the blond's level. Then thoughts flicker to the smell of Naruto that'll press close and which he could call to mind with very little thought, and thinks that he doesn't need to press his luck. He is an experienced jounin, but his restraint only stretches so far. He's still human (somewhere underneath).

"There wasn't anything you could have done," he adds after a moment, feeling inadequate. It was a statement of fact about something they were both aware of, and such statements never were of much help. They lead to loud arguments instead, but Kakashi wouldn't mind that right now.

"I know," the blond agrees, as usual casually defying predictions. There is silence for a long moment and Kakashi firmly resists the urge to shift where he stands. Silence is rare around Naruto, and it doesn't much suit him. "I spoke with him," the blond suddenly says, summoning words out of the air as if he could the workings of Kakashi's mind.

Kakashi doesn't connect the dots though, has to take a moment to skim the roster of people Naruto might have spoken to in the duration of this mission and who would appear at this moment. "Who?" he finally asks, somehow unsurprised to find that again he couldn't follow the unpredictable zaps of Naruto's thoughts. That is dangerous for a commander of a close-knit team, and Kakashi really should attempt to rectify it. _Should_, again.

But he finds himself unwilling to dissect the memories of his blond student, unwilling to analyze the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle he honestly isn't sure he could (_wants_) to solve. That would break something important between them, Kakashi senses.

"The fisherman," Naruto says, sounding exasperated and a little impatient. The Copy nin is glad to hear the teens inflection change into something he's used to and wonders if he should encourage the teen more. He likes hearing Naruto talk; there is an ease in the teen's words, so different from Kakashi's own indifference, and it's a voice that makes you listen. Makes you _want_ to listen.

"Ah. The one who-"_ is now unable to talk, but at least he got the kind of burial that would have done any dedicated fisherman proud_, (and Kakashi says none of this), "hosted us?" he finishes, voice smooth as polished bedrock.

"He said there was nothing as dangerous as fishing in still waters," the blond seemingly muses, words thoughtful, and Kakashi struggles to keep up even as he slouches further.

"Oh?" He hums the word, rests his eye on spiky sunshine bright as the globe of fire in the sky. Imagines briefly, in the span of a heartbeat, tangling fingers in that mop of brightness. Turns his eyes away, blinds himself with the rays dancing upon the waters. "You asked him about fishing techniques?" he asks, forces his mind away.

"We were talking about the rain." The blond's tone is strange. "How to catch and hold it," he finishes, something intangible in his voice lapping at Kakashi's mind. Naruto usually isn't one for cryptic remarks, and perhaps this isn't cryptic. Perhaps this is yet another of those things that Kakashi can't see but which rests with clarity in Naruto.

"Rain is good for fishing," he comments, flounders, hoping to keep the blond going.

"But not for navigating." Naruto's voice grows quieter and he bends forwards, a tanned olive-colored arm stretching to touch the water surface. "Larger chance to hit rocks when you're sailing blind," there is a small smile in the teen's voice (Kakashi had learned to read all Naruto's smiles, which is neither here nor there with regards to being compromised). He doesn't understand, senses undertones he knows he must be projecting onto the blond. (_Wishful thinking._ Perhaps he *was* getting old. Kakashi's mind cringes away from the thought.)

"But you don't mind the challenge, ne?" His eyes drag themselves back to the teen's form and meets a shock of blue, sea-deep and direct. He pushes his hands into his pockets, but not because they'd been inching to where they did not belong. Really.

Naruto faces him, head cocked to the side. A few locks of yellow whips about the teen's face in a sudden ocean breeze and the corner of his eyes crinkles as he smiles. A hint of sadness lurks somewhere in the back of blue puddles, but the determination that always takes Kakashi's breath away with its radiance ripples over Naruto's whole expression.

"No. I don't." The smiles widens.

–

**A/N:** Prompt by ladywinterfic. Kind of a snap-shot of a mission, with hints of KakaNaru. I'm pretty happy with it, even if it strayed terribly from the original prompt (which was, 'post-battle cuddles, navigation hurts'). But ladywinter seemed to like it, so I guess it's all good.

Tell me what you thought?


End file.
